Individuals and interactions over processes and tools

Working software over comprehensive documentation

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation

Responding to change over following a plan

Understanding Agile

Agile appears to be the new 'buzz word' in many organisations today and statistics, by Capterra, state that 71% of companies have been implementing / have implemented Agile since 2020. But what is it? What does it mean and how could it apply to you and your organisation?

Agile is a methodology, set out in 2001 and captured in four simple principles which focus on the prioritisation and importance of individuals and interactions; working software; customer collaboration; responding to change. Given the recent events of the pandemic, with the sudden changes thrust upon organisations without pre-emption or warning, Agile has become a way of managing, as well as offering a way of working with which to best approach the future and all that may arise from it.

Individuals and interactions - the Agile method focuses on individuals and interactions to provide the answers. Rather than relying on software, documented processes and well-used tools, an Agile approach takes the viewpoint that individuals often know what is right for the situation and that, through interactions, discussions, and teamwork, they can build a solution that works for everyone. By focusing on individuals and interactions, the workplace can become more collaborative, more people-centric, and more focused on doing what works for others, rather than what the system or the rule book or the past has dictated.

Working software - an Agile mindset also prioritises working software, useable tools and solutions that can be accessed in the now. Rather than documented ideas, records, and detailed notes, Agile privileges something that already works and offers something current - whether this needs to be adapted, improved, or recreated is another matter. A famous Agile example is the process of building a car. Rather than following a documented, deliberate way to create a perfect product of a finished car, and Agile approach would look at initial solutions and modes of transport that currently work and that can be adapted, improved, and build-upon to create the final ideal: a car.

Customer collaboration - Agile breaches the gap between the worker and the customer, prioritising customer collaboration rather than contract negotiation, relying on communication channels with people to come to a resolution that works for all parties involved, rather than dictating through contractual terms and conditions. The Agile mindset is one that encourages a collaborative approach to negotiating, dealing with, and serving customers. Through continual communication and through working together with the customer, a solution that works for everyone will be far more easily discovered than a solution created by the individual, by the minority, or mandated by governance. This insistence on the importance of the customer and customer collaboration necessitates a more iterative approach, something which is also key to Agile, and part of its philosophy of responding to change rather than following a plan.

Responding to change - following a plan, sticking to a set of instructions dictating a process (no matter how old, outdated, irrelevant, or unsuitable it may be), and refusing the respond to sudden change is something that Agile is definitely not. With its iterative work approach, its consistent responsiveness, and its lack of reliability on a specific plan but rather its commitment to finding a solution, the Agile methodology encourages those who follow it and use it to react to change, to adapt to a new situation, and to therefore position themselves far better.

There is far, far more to explore when looking at Agile methodologies, ways of working, and how it can be adapted to your organisation - or, rather, if it is suitable for your organisation. However, these core principles stand at the heart of what it means to be Agile and should offer you the starting point for your further exploration into the ever-evolving way of Agile.

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The Twelve Principles Behind the Agile Manifesto

1 - Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.

2 - Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer’s competitive advantage.

3 - Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale.

4 - Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.

5 - Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.

6 - The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.

7 - Working software is the primary measure of progress.

8 - Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.

9 - Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.

10 - Simplicity–the art of maximizing the amount of work not done–is essential.

11 - The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.

12 - At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.

To learn more about the Agile methodology, consider taking a short course - https://www.findcourses.co.uk/training/praeceptor-consulting/introduction-to-project-management-using-the-agile-methodology-1429268